Parent education as parent-centered prevention: A review of school-related outcomes

Parent education can be conceptualized as parent-targeted prevention programs targeting universal or at-risk populations. Sixteen studies of parent education programs with school-related populations were identified and coded for treatment efficacy and methodological rigor. Results found that the effectiveness of the parent education studies varied considerably. Methodological strengths included sufficiently large sample sizes, valid and reliable measures, and random assignment, while weaknesses included lack of sufficient follow-up data and failure to isolate the effects of the parent education component in multicomponent studies. It is concluded that future research should measure the parent education component individually in multicomponent designs and establish a standard for follow-up analyses of at least one year extending beyond initial post-assessment measures.